What happens if you breach your deferral contract?

Lime Green Dot

Hi 7Sagers!

It's been a good long while since I've been on this forum, but I thought I'd bring an admissions-related Q to our amazing community!

Here's my backstory: I applied last cycle to a bunch of schools and decided to accept admission to one, but then had to defer b/c I gave birth and wanted to spend the first year fully devoted to raising my now 2.5-month-old son

I met with a friend the other day who attends a certain law school I originally applied to but was rejected from last cycle. Even though my hard stats haven't changed (GPA, score on LSAT, which I have no plans on retaking), she recommended that given my significant change of circumstances, I should try reapplying to this law school again for the upcoming cycle and work on incorporating these big life changes into, and hopefully in the process improving, my messaging (i.e., all law school essays, including the optional ones). If I could have gotten into this school, I definitely would have accepted the offer btw!

But besides the fact that my GPA/LSAT are right at the 25% for this school, I explained to my friend that I had signed a deferral contract to the school where I accepted admission (which says very plainly that "By signing this form, I agree to: ...Refrain from submitting any additional law school applications..."), but she said people break these all the time and simply lose their seat deposit without any other serious consequences.

Giving up a seat deposit is one thing, and by virtue of applying to another school, I know I'd also essentially be saying "so long" to this law school where I've already been accepted... but are there really no other ramifications? No demerits I'd be getting on character/fitness?

If anyone who's been there/done that could offer some advice from their experience or general perspectives, I'd very much appreciate it!

canihazJD

Good to see you around still! No definite answers here and mandatory "I'm not an attorney and this is not legal advice" but some considerations:

• A new app may ask if you've assented to any deferral contracts. The bar you ultimately apply to will have access to your law school application.

• I've never heard of the bar pulling apps other than the one for the school(s) you attend, not to say they couldn't get them. Inconsistency between school applications and bar applications are a major flag.

• I've never heard of a school going after someone for breach, but sure they could. It would not be difficult for someone from one admissions office to figure out what you did if they were so inclined.

• admissions offices don't talk to each other nearly as much as some people seem to think or imply... but they can and sometimes do. There is definitely a non-zero risk of having your deferral yanked and then not getting into the new school.

• the questions for my bar's moral character component would not have captured this issue... others may. You can look up a state bar's C&F app. Be careful of broadly worded questions as you would not want to omit something reasonably covered by the call of a question.

• one thing you absolutely do not want to signal to the bar is dishonesty.

my GPA/LSAT are right at the 25% for this school

The deferred school or the one you want to apply to? Either way, I'd say that weighs toward sticking with your current acceptance... if the latter, slightly more so.

Efficient breaches happen all the time and your reasons and the particular schools are also significant factors we can't evaluate here that likely change the balance. But for me at least, given the info available, this seems a bit too risky.